PANAMA CITY — Bears are on the move and they may be coming to a garbage can near you.

Florida black bears are on their annual mission to gain weight for the winter, though they don’t hibernate in Florida, according to Stan Kirkland, of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

“They are foraging for food,” Kirkland said.

During their preparation for winter, bears raise their calorie count from about 7,000 calories a day to more than 25,000 calories a day.

Between 1994 and 2002, the number of bears in Florida has increased from 300 to 3,000, according to state records. Kirkland said FWC is preparing for another count next year in the middle of the state and in the Panhandle in 2015.

Black bears are able to smell food from up to a mile away, according to the FWC, and have been known to travel miles to return to an area where they have found food.

“We have (game) officers drive them to a forest area and they’d make it back before the officers did,” Kirkland laughed.

That is because once the bears know where a consistent source of food is, they will to travel long distances to return to the source of food.

“That is why we asked you to cover your garbage can,” Kirkland said. “There are some new clamps that can be used to secure that top.”

According to FWC, bears feed on berries, insects, nuts and an occasional small animal. Securing garbage is a good way to keep bears away and keep a mess out of your yard.

“They are just looking for a free meal,” Kirkland said.

They are not a threat to people, “unless you aggravate them,” he said.

Springfield resident Jerry Brown has had experience with bears in his back yard.

“I had one there last night,” Brown said Friday afternoon.

Kirkland told Brown his Springfield neighborhood is a “freeway for bears,” Brown said.

“I think we had about a dozen calls last year,” Brown said. “Make noise and they’ll run away.”

Last week, Tyndall Air Force Base 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs warned base personnel to be on the look out for bears on base.

“We estimate there are one to two dozen bears on Tyndall in any given year including resident adults, sows with cubs and juveniles moving through the area,” said Wendy Jones, 325th Civil Engineer Squadron’s Natural Resources wildlife biologist.

FWC has scheduled a meeting to discuss bear management at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Coastal Branch Library at 437 Greenway Trail in Santa Rosa Beach. Bay County meetings are planned for after the first of the year.

WHAT TO DO

To help avoid contact with bears, the following is recommended:

· Use lock bars or door clips on dumpsters

· Do not put garbage cans out at night

· Keep garage doors closed

· Bird feeders are not allowed in housing

· Do not leave pet food outside

· Thoroughly clean barbeque grills or store them in garage

· In the event of encountering a bear, make loud noises like clapping, shouting and stand your ground. Raise your arms to appear larger, back up slowly and try not to run away. Also make sure the bear has an escape route.

· Do not turn your back, play dead, climb a tree or run. Back away slowly into the house or secure area.

· Avoid direct eye contact. Bears and many other animals may view this as aggressive behavior.

· If the bear climbs a tree, it is frightened and will not come down until the perceived threats are removed. Move all pets and people indoors and turn off outdoor lights.

-To report a bear conflict, call the FWC Regional Office nearest you. On Tyndall Air Force Base, call the 325th Fighter Wing Security Forces Squadron at 283-2254 if a bear won't leave, is in a populated area, getting into dumpsters and trash cans or acting aggressive.